I live in the country so when I wanted some Template material the search was on! My neighbor picked some up for me in town....it was very sweet of her, but I was a little taken back at the price! So I got a little creative next time. I was in a dollar store and found a package of those clear or semi transparent cutting mats to try. They work like a charm...marked with sharpie type marker and cut very nicely with kitchen shears! No more expensive template plastic for me! Hope this help someone save some $...we all can stand to do that about now! Blessings....Chigger

great idea - thanks

Yes, they do work great. I have been using them for several years now.

The plastic in pkgs of bacon works well too :D:D:D

I have used the plastic from the bacon alot.


I scrub it with comet and liquid soap. :thumbup:

How do you get them not to smell like bacon though?

You say that like there's something wrong with the smell of bacon. :mrgreen:

I LOVE the $ stores. Will have to remember this if I ever need templates.

Pat

What a clever idea! I'll be getting some! Thanks for sharing! Quilters certainly know how to improvise :)

I reuse my plastic cutting mats for lining the wire rack shelving in my laundry room. They help me keep small items in place and prevent bottle from tipping over. They are like a drawer liner for the wire rack. I love them.

I will remember this idea for using them for templates. I used to use the bacon insert, but we quit eating bacon! Thanks to all of you for all your clever ideas! Few items are one-use items any more. Creative minds put then to good use. Keep those ideas coming!

Thanks for sharing, great idea and hope that I remember it next time I need a template! :-D

Great tip.

Thanks

I love it ....., and just what I needed a good reason to eat bacon.

Thanks for the tips!

Great idea!! But I wish you'd just told me....now there'll be a run on them like there were with rotary blades at Harbor Freight!!! LOL

What a GREAT idea! Thank you so much! I live in a rural town and the closest sewing store is a 45 min drive, but we DO have a dollar store in town! :)

What a great idea!!

A friend of mine used to work in the x-ray dept at the local hospital. If the film was ruined for some reason, she got to bring it home and all of us had template material for free!

great idea - Thank you

You could also use the stiffer place mats.

Thanks for the tip! I just realized that I have a new package of two which I have never opened. I bought them at a flea market for $1.00 for two chopping mats. You guys on here are sooooo helpful.

I've used the front and back of those spiral-bound notebooks: after you've used the paper, just cut the wire spirals (NOT with your sewing scissors! lol), and you've got two pieces of potential template material. (Some backs are stiff cardboard, and if you use it, you need to be careful not to cut into the template).

Jory

I use the heavier plastic folders, they work out great, check the clearance after school starts I can usually find them pretty cheap. I am using my own cut out templates for my grandmothers flower garden,couldn't afford to do it any other way

I use the cutting mats in the bottom of the purses I make; just make a little fabric sleeve for them.

I am a dollar store junkie, but reading here, I do not understand what kind of cutting mat you are talking about. I don't use many plastics for templates or for totes but inquiring minds would like to know. Help... Signed nosy dollar store junkie

I got the cutting mats at Dollar Tree. They are thicker that the normal template plastic and to me they are much better and thicker.

They could also be used for "Jane", who wanted to know what to use for the purse bottoms, couldn't they?

please tell me what is the clear cutting mat from the dollar store.......I am not familiar with them

I'm very lucky, my little brother owns a glass shop and he cuts me templates from plexi glass and I also work for a heat/air co and they have a sheet metal shop and the men cut me templates out of aluminum or sheet metal

You can go to a glass company and ask them to cut things sometimes they don't charge anything

I'm very lucky, my little brother owns a glass shop and he cuts me templates from plexi glass and I also work for a heat/air co and they have a sheet metal shop and the men cut me templates out of aluminum or sheet metal

You can go to a glass company and ask them to cut things sometimes they don't charge anything

There is a window/screening company in town that uses plexiglass and he is always donating the excess and leftover pieces for use as templates, even cutting them to size for anyone who asks at no cost. What a wonderful and generous family.

Great idea. I have some I've never used so this is a good use for them.

That is what I use and they work very well!

Yeah! Now I have another reason to eat bacon!!

I asked a local doctor for unuseable x-rays for template material.Works well, easy to cut.

I did the same. Bought some more last week for a project.Works well. Saves money. missbelle

I use the clear shortening lids for small templates and I also cut some for pot scrapers too. Makes it much easier to clean the casserole dishes, etc., so I can get back to quilting faster. :-)

I have also used expired x-ray film that a friend gave me. Works fine.

When you use this heavy plastic for templates, do you use your rotary cutter or are these templates for something different?
When I use heavy plastic instead of the heavy plexiglas with my rotary cutter, I cut off pieces. Is this just because I am careless or what?

Yor're usually better using scissors to cut using a plastic template. You can see where the lines are better and don't take the chance of cutting off part. If it's straight lines you could draw the design on the fabric with washable/disappearing ink and then cut using your rotary cutter.